Nebel grinned.“Funny you would say that.I just happen to own her bond for her programming services.”
Birun smiled.“So useful.”
“Yes.She thrives on being useful, but she feels that is her only purpose.”
“Helpful.”
“Yes, but if that purpose is taken, she does not feel she has a reason to live.Lily doesn’t acknowledge it, but I have seen the signs.The moment she cannot work, she will begin degrading.If that happens, send her back to us.We can keep her busy.”
Birun looked at the intriguing arrival.“I will do my best to occupy her.If not, I will call you and send her back.”
“The ship she arrived in will bring her back.She just has to step inside.”
Birun paused.“That sounds like a threat.”
“It is a promise for her safety.You do not need to worry about discarding her.”
“Why are you so focused on this?”
“You have been known to leave a displeasing consort out in the snow, two to their deaths.”
“They were tributes who begged for death, so I obliged them.”Birun frowned.“There were only the two.”
Nebel exhaled.“They were not consorts?”
“Just tributes.They wept when I got near them and kept chanting that they were contaminated by leaving their homes.So...I gave them what they asked for.”
Nebel nodded, and understanding was in his eyes.“You have Pericoffs?”
“They are one of my species.Are Urthers delicate and weepy?”
“They start out delicate, but they change rapidly with focused bonding.”He grinned.“Lily has forearm and hand prosthetics, and she broke my arm on our first meeting.I was accidentally strangling her at the time, but I just wanted to get her closer to see the curve of her lips and the furious sparkle in her eyes.She recovered, and we made a contract.This species is exceptionally sturdy.The ones who survived had to go through trials, and it shows.”
Birun perked up.“May I have her files?”
“Of course.They are only partial as we are now understanding that she and her grandparent were a working unit.She designed, he built, and she programmed.Together, they made some nanites that are ideally suited to each application with programming locks that bind them to purpose.”
“Nice.That is useful.”He glanced over at the woman in the tank again.“She is waking early.”
“Call me with any questions.She and Lily are very similar.They can adapt to anything as long as they know what is being asked of them.You might want to offer her your consort protocols.”
“Ah.Yes.Thank you for the briefing.When I saw the vessel she arrived in, I knew just who to call.And Boss told me.It is rather disconcerting to hear my own voice.He is constantly amused.”
Nebel laughed.“Yes.If people around her are smiling, they are less of a threat, so she makes sure that she keeps everyone cheerful if possible.”
“Has she been assaulted?”
“Nearly all of the survivors have, but I believe there is a reason that she was so close to her grandfather and not her father.I believe he was the violent one.Trin did not say while she was with her grandfather, but she is very aware of her environment and anyone new who walks into it.”
Birun kept his gaze on the woman who had begun to move her limbs slowly.“Noted.Thank you for the chat.It has woken me up considerably.”
“Call at any time.She is a friend.She also knows she’s consort class.That will not be a surprise to her.” Nebel grinned.“We have an agreement for her to contact us every three days.I expect her to hold to it.”
Birun nodded.“That will be possible from here.Perhaps not so possible later.”
“Well, as long as you do what you can, I won’t need to come out and retrieve her.”
“Since when do you leave your world to travel?”
